Within the last ten to twenty years a new type of armoring material has been introduced to further increase the effectiveness of armoring surfaces to preclude their being pierced by bullets or other ballistic projectiles. These materials are applied to the surface of the vehicle or structure to be protected in the form of individual pieces which form overall composite structure surface resistant to bullets or other types of projectiles.
This type of armoring material has universal application, and can be applied to the surfaces of automobiles, helicopters, airplanes, or buildings, wherever there is a need to make a surface impenetrable to bullets and other projectiles that could be injurious to people or installations.
This material can either be a woven fiber or non-woven overlaid fiber formed of multiple layers of fabric which are united by any typical technique, such as sewing, fastening with staples for example, and adhesion bonding including hot pressing. Ordinarily, these armoring materials such as aramids, woven nylon and polyethylene ultra high molecular weight (UHMW), are more resistant to penetration and puncture by bullets or projectiles, themselves, but due to the weaknesses at the periphery of these individual armoring pieces forming the composite, are less effective than a single uniform piece of material. However, due to the differences in shape as well as limitations as to size of the pieces, it is impractical to provide one large unitary sheet of armoring material to protect a given surface.
When a projectile or bullet strikes the armoring material adjacent its edge there is a tendency for it to separate the armoring material from the surface to which it is adhered, breaking the bond between adjacent pieces which may be either sewed, fastened or glued together, or torn from the actual surface on which it is mounted. Consequently, the tendency of the armoring surface to sustain damage in this manner substantially decreases its effectiveness as an armoring surface. A more effective manner of joining composite pieces to the surface to be protected, and to adjacent pieces of the composite surface is therefore necessary if the full potential of the armoring fabric to protect a given surface is to be realized.